"Heroes Live Forever" - the story of U.S. Capitol Police Sgt. Christopher Eney

Chris Eney was tragically shot and killed during a training exercise 40 years ago, but his department never forgot, and his wife became a leading advocate for the families of fallen officers

McLean, VA (August 27, 2024) - The United States Capitol Police (USCP) held a ceremony this past Saturday to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the line of duty death of USCP Sgt. Christopher Eney. By all accounts Sgt. Eney was an exemplary officer and “one of the best supervisors on the department,” according to a colleague. On August 24, 1984, he was shot and killed inadvertently by a fellow officer—and good friend—during a training exercise. Chris left behind a wife, Vivian, and two young daughters, Shannen and Heather. Their lives had been shattered, but Vivian soon decided to turn tragedy into triumph. She became National President of C.O.P.S.—the Concerns of Police Survivors—and became a leading advocate for improving the plight of law enforcement’s surviving family members. And she became a leader of the campaign to build a National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and played a major role in developing the design for law enforcement’s national monument. It is also Vivian’s quote on the Memorial that helps to explain to visitors the essence of the monument: “It is not how these officers died that made them heroes, it is how they lived.”

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